Colorado State Patrol simulator helping teens learn about the dangers of distracted driving

With the help of the Colorado State Patrol, Denver7 news anchor Theresa Marchetta watches as her 15-year-old twin daughters use a driving simulator to learn about the dangers of texting while driving.

Denver7

Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Rob Madden has a new toy. It’s a driving simulator complete with a monitor that looks like a windshield, dashboard, a steering wheel and gas and brake pedals.

He’s using it to help education teens about the dangers of distracted driving.

"Cell phones in a car, passengers in the car – distractions -- can be a very dangerous thing,” he told Denver7’s Theresa Marchetta. “And this one -- this computer allows us to show somebody what it is like and the dangers that can happen."

On this particular night, Theresa’s teenage girls are using the simulator. The twins are 15 and have never been behind the wheel before.

“I’m a little more nervous to actually drive,” one of them said after trying it out.